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New Jersey asks U.S. not to ban shark fishing off state's coast |
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The state Department of Environmental Protection is trying to
convince the federal government not to ban shark fishing off the
New Jersey coast because it would hurt the tourism industry.
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, or ASMFC, in February declared New Jersey out of compliance with rules governing 40 species of coastal sharks. The problem was widely blamed on bureaucratic delays and not any substantial issues with the requirements, which included 22 regulations relating to commercial and recreational shark fishing. The National Marine Fisheries Service is currently considering the next step after the state was declared out of compliance, which could be a ban on shark fishing. Such a ban could be declared within a matter of days by the Department of Commerce, the parent agency of the NMFS, or the state could be given a longer time period to comply. The DEP announced Tuesday afternoon that acting Commissioner Bob Martin sent a March 1 letter to NMFS Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Eric Schwaab telling him that reaching compliance is a top priority for New Jersey. He blamed the bureaucratic mix-up on the prior administration of Gov. Jon S. Corzine. |
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33 Fishing Community Members Say Permit Bank, Giacalone are pluses for Gloucester
This permit bank is a true local treasure for our fishing community and related businesses. Its existence has been one of the only positive things to come to this fishing community in decades.
